Standing about 6 feet tall, and weighing up to 120 pounds, these flightless birds look intimidating. They are however the friendliest of flightless birds. Males are about 10% smaller than females and the light-blue skin that shows through the sparse neck is paler in the males. Emus have 3 toes and their wings are the size of an adult human hand.

Adaptation/Behavior:

To compensate their inability to fly, emus are equipped with long and sturdy legs. They are fast runners and their long clawed toes provide grip and act as a weapon in defense kicking. Although emus frequently roam alone or in pairs, they are social birds and are often seen feeding with kangaroos and cattle.Courtship/Breeding:

In the middle of the Australian summer, which is in December, emus look for a mate. Once a bond is formed, the pair stays together. They male builds the nest with grass, twigs, barks and leaves. After mating, the female lays a clutch of dark green eggs and leaves the incubation to the male. She then leaves the male to mate again. Sometimes various females may mate with one male, laying various clutches of eggs in his nest. He will protect the nest until the young hatches.

Conservation:

Emus are not currently under threat, but in times of drought, their numbers decline. In Western Australia, the emu is raised on farms for its meat, feathers, oil and leather.

Interesting Facts

Our Animals

Emus have double shafted feather. A secondary plume sprouts from the base of the shaft, equal in length to the main feather.